[Commlist] Call for Abstracts: Framing Climate Crises and Energy Transitions

*Call for Abstracts*

10th Biennial ECREA (European Communication Research and Education 
Association) Conference in Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Conference Dates: 23 to 27 September 2024
Conference Theme: Communication and Social (Dis)order

ECREA Section: Science and Environment Communication
Panel Title: Framing Climate Crises and Energy Transitions

CfA: Framing Climate Crises and Energy Transitions
Deadline for Abstracts: 4 January 2024

The link between the climate crisis and the need for energy transition 
is logically evident: the burning of fossil fuels over the past 
centuries has resulted in runaway carbon emissions that have 
significantly altered the Earth’s climate. To mitigate further 
catastrophic impacts, societies now face the imperative of decarbonizing 
their energy systems. However, in practice, the process of adopting 
clean, safe, and reliable energy is framed differently across various 
domains. The energy transition is simultaneously framed by politicians, 
activists, academics, journalists, artists, etc. as economic 
opportunity, scientific consensus, ethical imperative, or political 
conflict (Wardekker & Lorenz (2019); Almiron et al. (2020); Maehle et 
al. (2021), Chen et al. (2023).

Previous climate framing research, particularly studies by Nisbet 
(2009), Lakoff (2010), Schäfer & O’Neill (2017), and Guenther et al. 
(2023), has primarily focused on mass media and journalism.


This panel aims to deepen that line of research and expand the scope of 
framing studies by examining the relationships between, and impacts of, 
framing climate crises and energy transitions across various mediums and 
rhetorical situations including but not limited to:

1)Artworks, Literature, Podcasts, Film, TV-series, and other Cultural 
Productions:
We envision papers that investigate how climate change and energy 
transitions are represented in diverse media and narrative genres, 
including climate dystopias and utopias. How do alternative media shape 
the creative emotional and aesthetic dimensions of these issues and 
explore alternative perspectives on climate change and decarbonization? 
What are the most frequently used or most innovative frames for climate 
fiction, energy futures, or solar punk?

2)Academic and Policy Discourse:
Submissions in this category could examine the framing of climate change 
and energy transitions within scholarly publications, policy documents, 
and reports to help uncover the conceptual frameworks and discursive 
strategies employed in these domains.

3)Activist Campaigns and Movements:
How do climate activists frame their concerns through slogans, images, 
icons, and mission statements? Alternatively, how does mass media frame 
climate activism including activists’ disruptive and/or “criminal” 
actions? Papers could examine the language, narratives, and messaging 
used by advocacy groups to shift public discourse and mobilize climate 
action as well as how activists are framed by mass media. (Yes, we’d 
appreciate thoughts on soup).

4)Political Rhetoric and Debate:
We also invite submissions that explore the framing of climate crises 
and energy transitions in political rhetoric and debates. This can 
include analyses of speeches, policy debates, and meetings such as COP 
28. What framing or reframing strategies are employed by politicians and 
policymakers?

Papers may also analyze other overlapping and interconnected frames as 
applied to climate change and decarbonization across different 
contexts.Overall, this panel seeks to broaden the scope of framing 
studies by examining frames used by artists, novelists, scholars, 
activists, content creators, influencers, politicians, and policymakers 
and thereby reveal some of the (dis)orderly connections between climate 
and energy.

For consideration in the panel, please send name, email, institutional 
affiliation, short bio, and abstracts of 300-400 words by 4 January 2024 
to: (dlewis /at/ comillas.edu) <mailto:(dlewis /at/ comillas.edu)>and 
(valentina.cappi3 /at/ unibo.it) <mailto:(valentina.cappi3 /at/ unibo.it)>

Decisions about potential panelists will be sent by 7 January.
The final panel proposal will be submitted to the ECREA committee on 11 
January 2024.
Final decisions on the panel and notifications of acceptance from ECREA 
will be received by 12 March 2024.



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